As of this writing, authorities in Russia are holding thirty activists and journalists captive in poor conditions in response to a peaceful protest against oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean. These demonstrators, who are affiliated with the environmental organization Greenpeace, knew that their actions would put them at risk and could result in imprisonment but nonetheless took a stand for their beliefs. For the average teen in the United States, taking a stand doesn’t mean risking arrest, but it could mean risking popularity or social status. In this issue, we’ll look at reasons for which we as Christians should take a stand and we’ll discuss what we risk by doing so. Key Scriptures: 1 Kings 22:1-38; Jeremiah 38:1-13; Matthew 16:21-26; John 15:18-25. Recent statistics suggest that teens today have different priorities than previous generations of adolescents. Youth are spending less money and less time at the mall, and fewer teens are rushing to the DMV to get their driver’s licenses as soon as they turn sixteen. Today’s young people, like so many generations of teenagers before them, are challenging the norms and expectations of the culture in which they live. During the Advent season, we prepare our hearts and minds for the One who challenged all the norms and changed our understanding of how to live and be in relationship with God. Next week we’ll look at how Jesus defied expectations and how he calls us to do the same.